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Trend analysis: from a tight labour market to a diverse team
It’s increasingly common to encounter international colleagues in the workplace. In the Netherlands, 1 in 12 online job vacancies is already non-Dutch speaking; in Amsterdam, this rises to 1 in 4...
Future focused talent
Your role as a manager in a multicultural team
The Dutch business landscape is becoming increasingly international, a trend accelerated by the tight labour market. However, greater diversity also brings new challenges. How can you ensure the su...
Future focused talent
How can you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
When you're just starting out in your career, you want to perform well, but setting boundaries can be challenging. In fact, 31% of young professionals take on extra hours and heavy workloads. The r...
Traineeships
Chaudhry on his traineeship at ABN AMRO
When Chaudhry started searching for his first “grown-up job,” he knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he didn’t expect it to be this hard. Despite his background in finance, breaking into the bank...
Experiences
Jisse’s first year in financial consultancy
Starting a career in consultancy is about more than landing a job—it's about finding the right fit. Jisse, one of our young consultants, found his perfect place within our consultancy team after ...
Experiences
Beshoy on his financial risk traineeship at ING
Just two years ago, Beshoy had no clue that his dream job would end up being in the financial sector. During his traineeship, he faced a bunch of personal challenges, gained some real insights into...
Experiences
Workplace communication: do’s & don’ts
How you communicate at work can make or break your experience. Nail it, and you’ll thrive; mess it up, and you’re looking at frustration, extra work, and awkward moments with your colleagues. S...
How to get your team on board with changes as a manager
Changes in the workplace are inevitable. As a manager, it's your job to guide your team smoothly through these transitions. This can be challenging, especially when you notice some colleagues strug...
Future focused talent
How do you handle a job offer for your first job?
The exciting phone call or long-awaited email has finally arrived: you've been offered a job! But what now? Whether you're super excited and want to say "yes" immediately, are still unsure and need...
Job interview tips
How to provide guidance to young talent as a manager
As a manager, you often have insufficient time for the intensive guidance of young talent, even though they greatly need consistent support. In this blog, we will explain how you can still provide ...
Future focused talent
6 soft skills every young professional should have
Beyond the technical skills you developed during your studies, soft skills are equally important for professional success. Skills like effective communication, time management, and adaptability are...
Traineeships
A guideline for your conversation with a recruiter
You are (almost) graduated and might already be busy figuring out what you want to do next. Perhaps you even have your first job interviews lined up, including one with a recruiter. An initial conv...
Job interview tips
How to connect generation Z to your organisation
Generation Z is frequently labelled as "job hoppers," a peculiar notion given their quest for stability and potential loyalty towards a commendable employer. To retain young employees within your o...
Future focused talent
Craft your ideal team with strategic workforce planning
High workloads and constant deadlines often push organisations into a cycle of ad-hoc hiring, where vacancies are filled swiftly without considering the long-term implications. This can result in a...
Future focused talent
How to engage with Generation Z?
The job market is greeting a new cohort: Generation Z. This group not only introduces a fresh perspective but also carries novel expectations into the workplace. Successfully recruiting Gen Z neces...
Future focused talent
How to write an inclusive job vacancy
Having a diverse and inclusive team starts with the right job vacancy. When you use too much jargon or masculine language, you risk missing out on your ideal candidate. This results in a team that ...
Future focused talent
Who is Gen Z?
They are innovative, always online and everything is open for discussion. We're talking about Gen Z, the generation that's currently transitioning into young professionals in the job market. They n...
Future focused talent
Understanding your applicant thoroughly: Guidance for managers
Managers often encounter this scenario: a candidate appears ideal on paper and performs well during interviews, yet doesn’t turn out to be the perfect fit once employed. This situation is frustra...
Future focused talent
How to work well with your boomer colleagues
Imagine finding yourself in a team full of boomers. The people who type with just two fingers, completely fail to grasp your dream of working remotely from Bali, and are baffled by the simplest tec...
Traineeships
Tjardo on his Actuarial Traineeship at MN
Young professional Tjardo wasn't sure about his career path right after graduating. Understandable, with an overflowing inbox full of recruiters and insufficient experience to choose a clear direct...
Experiences
How a talent manager guides managers
As a manager, you often have limited time to guide starting professionals in your company. A talent manager can significantly ease this responsibility for you. While you, as a manager, monitor the ...
Future focused talent
Wonder and inspiration with Jimmy Nelson & Jitske Kramer
"After 27 years in the financial sector, it's time for new insights," says Jeroen Groothuis, taking a big bite of blueberry yogurt from a black stone bowl. "That's why I'm here. If you don't keep l...
Future focused talent
Data engineer Andrea about her traineeship at ABN AMRO
Young professional Andrea Castrillon has been working as a data engineer at ABN AMRO bank for almost a year now, and she's loving it! With her small and international team, she is part of the regul...
Experiences
A career as a business analyst
Banks, insurance companies, and pension funds are dynamic but also complex organisations. Consultant Figou shares: "When I started working, I actually had no clear idea of what a bank looks like on...
Traineeships
Exploring finance roles within a bank
Banks are dynamic and yet complex organisations. As a recent graduate, you might not yet have a clear picture of how a bank operates. This might get you wondering: What are the different department...
Traineeships
The 4 different generations in the office
From baby boomers to Gen Z: for the first time, the workplace is home to four generations simultaneously. Each with their own opinions and personal preferences. This is something that can lead to c...
Future focused talent
How to manage generational diversity in the workplace
The modern workplace is more diverse than ever, with Baby boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers all working together. And while this mix can lead to clashes, it also offers a wealth of oppor...
Future focused talent
Mees on his work as an account manager
Working with great people, fun colleagues, and a lot of freedom. That's what makes working at Solid Professionals so enjoyable, according to Mees Goosen. He’s been working as an account manager f...
Experiences
This is how ABF brings in young talent
Finding the right people, especially experienced individuals, is challenging for many managers. Peter Ahsmann, IT Engineering Lead at Asset Based Finance (ABF), a subsidiary of ABN AMRO, faced the ...
Client cases
How inspiring am I (still) as a manager?
It's rarely a requirement in job adverts, seldom discussed in the workplace, and has a different meaning for everyone: inspiration. Nevertheless, inspiration is often the reason why employees stay ...
Future focused talent
Use the STARR method during your job interview
Do you have a job interview coming up soon? Then you want to make a good impression. This is the perfect moment to demonstrate where your strengths lie! 🚀 Everyone can claim that they're really ...
Job interview tips
27 questions you can ask during a job interview
By asking thoughtful questions during a job interview, you get to know the company better and leave a strong impression on the employer! But which questions should you ask? 💡 To help you out, we...
Job interview tips
6 reasons why a talent manager is really chill
When you are nearing graduation and starting your first full-time job, a lot of new things are coming your way. 💼 And with that, numerous new challenges will arise! It’s nice to have someone t...
Traineeships
This is how you prepare for a job interview
🎓 You’ve completed your studies, picked up your degree, and are all set to start your grown-up (working) life! You explore a bit, apply to a couple of jobs, and then…it’s time for the job ...
Job interview tips
iOS-developer Redo about his traineeship at Tikkie
It took him a while to get here. Literally. Redo had to travel all the way from Java, Indonesia, to get started with his traineeship here at Solid Professionals. But it was worth the trip, as he ha...
Experiences
10 tips for the perfect resume
You’ve just got your degree and are ready to enter the job market. 👨🎓 A standout resume will definitely help you get the attention you need! But where to start? What should (and shouldn...
Job interview tips
Moving up from starter to Managing Consultant
After finishing a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a pre-master, consultant Marianne Reussing graduated from the University of Groningen in 2018 with an MSc in Business Administrati...
Experiences
A career as a Capital Risk Manager
Starting in December 2022, Musa Abdullazade has been working at LeasePlan as a Capital Risk Manager. During his application, he was still living and working in Hungary. After successfully being gra...
Experiences
Consultant Robbert Woldring about his training grounds
A year and a half ago, consultant Robbert Woldring graduated from Tilburg University with a Master's in Finance. He has been working for Solid Professionals since the beginning of 2022. “At Solid...
Experiences
Choosing a traineeship? Check out these 10 things!
A traineeship is a great start to your career: you gain a lot of work experience quickly and develop your talent at lightning speed. 🚀 But there are so many! How do you make sure you’re select...
Traineeships
From Master in Finance to financial analyst at ABN AMRO
Alexander Bingel is a financial planning analyst at ABN AMRO via our traineeship. 💸 In this blog, he’ll take you along in his day-to-day life at the bank and tell you how he uses his training ...
Experiences
Why a traineeship is the best start to your career
You’re almost done with university and standing at the beginning of your career. The world is your oyster. 🎓💪 You want to gain some more work experience and expand your skill set at the sam...
Traineeships
Getting started in finance? These are the skills to have
During the past years, finance has become more and more data-driven. Something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Sabine, the Director here at Solid Professionals. She can see that this development is...
Traineeships
Discover what drives you with the Golden Circle
Talent manager Tim Vos guides and supervises recent graduates who are starting their first 'real' job in the financial sector. An important part of his work is coaching young professionals in their...
Traineeships
Create an environment people want to work in
I recently listened to an episode of WorkLife, a podcast by Adam Grant, with the title: The Not-So-Great Resignation. During this episode, organisational psychologist Grant states that in 2021, abo...
Future focused talent
How to handle your first job
You’ve just graduated (or are about to), and grown-up life is about to start. You don’t quite know what your first job will be, but one thing is for sure; whatever it is, you want to ace it. Ta...
Traineeships
